Come Together
by Lily Sang
Summary: After a long and gruelling battle that changed everyone, Boo has been vanquished. Now Bulma and Vegeta, alone at last, have some things that need to be resolved.


_**Hey everyone! Just a short one-shot for you this time.**_

Come Together

The front door of Capsule Corp opened and then closed. Three figures stood in the dim foyer, one decidedly shorter than the others. No one said a word, and the silence was sparking with tension.

"Um, I'm gonna go up to my room," Trunks said, sensing that something was wrong. Bulma nodded tersely, and the young boy quickly made himself scarce. Vegeta, who had yet to say a word since they had been reunited at Kami sama's palace, walked off as well. Bulma sighed. Though she wanted desperately to talk to him, she knew that now was not a good time. She stepped out of her shoes and went off to the living room to read.

In their bedroom, Vegeta quickly showered and put on civilian clothes. He stared numbly at his dark blue gi folded on the bed, then threw it in the metal garbage can. Barely glancing at it, he flicked his finger and the clothes burst into flames. Soon they had been reduced to a pile of ashes, and Vegeta left the room. He had to see Bulma, and he knew where she would be.

Bulma distractedly flipped through a compilation of poems she had picked up at random. She knew that she and Vegeta needed to talk, and she wasn't looking forward to it. She looked up and there he was, having ghosted into the room while she was trying to read. He had changed into a black long-sleeved shirt and his hands were shoved into the pockets of beige pants. His pitch black eyes were staring into hers.

Bulma closed her book and stood up, taking a step towards him. Vegeta, too, made his way across the room. They met in the middle, and simultaneously stepped into each other's arms.

Bulma held him as tightly as she could, not having to worry about hurting him. Vegeta, always conscious of his strength, simply locked his arms around her and closed his eyes, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"I am never letting that happen again," he said lowly. Bulma didn't need to ask to know that he was talking about Boo killing her.

"I thought I'd lost you forever," she said, tears springing to her eyes at the memory.

Vegeta stroked the back of her head. "As did I," he murmured. "But everything's fine now." They released each other and collapsed on the over-stuffed couch.

Bulma sat up and laced her fingers together on her lap, biting her lip. There was a question that had been nagging at her, and she had ignored it up until then, not wanting to lost this warm, happy feeling. But it had to be asked.

"Vegeta," she said, looking straight ahead and trying her best to not give anything away in her tone of voice.

"Mm?" Vegeta looked sideways at Bulma and instantly picked up on her mood, despite her efforts. "What is it?" he asked, wary now.

"What happened at the tournament?" He immediately tensed up. That was the question he had been dreading, and he was not looking forward to answering it.

"Well... it's complicated," he said evenly. Bulma understood that he was stalling for time so he could get his thoughts together. She leaned into the soft couch, waiting patiently.

Vegeta, who had barely managed to avoid flinching when she had spoken, was thinking frantically. His first instinct was to be evasive and uncompassionate. But where had that gotten him so far? They might have been able to stop Boo from being freed if he hadn't selfishly challenged Kakarrot to a fight. And as for Bulma- she never mentioned it, but Vegeta knew she wished he was more open and receptive with her.

It was hard for him. He'd never been the affectionate type, and he was sorely tempted to give Bulma the cold shoulder.

Bulma caught Vegeta's eyes as he stared, frowning slightly and motionless, out the window. So many people, herself included, had thought that those eyes didn't hold a soul and were capable of only two emotions: pure, unadulterated hatred and sadistic joy. But she had soon discovered that Vegeta wasn't just a killing machine, you only had to try a little.

What she saw now dismayed her. He had that look about him, the guarded, slightly angry one that showed he was going to brush her off.

The Saiyan in question was, in fact, about to do just that when he saw the expression on Bulma's face. Without knowing it, her eyes were wide and her forehead was wrinkled just the slightest bit in worry. All at once, he could tell that she needed a real answer from him. Bulma was normally tolerant and relaxed -which he greatly appreciated- but it was obvious that she couldn't handle it if he avoided this. So he decided to do something he'd never done with her.

Vegeta decided to tell the truth.

Not just factually, mind, but emotionally as well. And he did. With a deep breath and more than a little doubt in his mind, Vegeta explained to Bulma about the unease that had been growing in his mind these last few years, about his desire to revert back to his past self, how he would (and did) do anything to be evil again.

Bulma, for her part, was remarkably quiet during the whole story. Most people would be nervous at her lack of feedback, but Vegeta was not one to be affected by silence. Besides, at this point he figured that if she decided to kick him out he would deserve it for betraying her trust in him. He took her hands, clenched so hard that the knuckles had turned white, as a bad sign.

"...So that's it," he finished. "If I did a poor job explaining, it's just because I'm not used to this." The only other person he had told was, ironically enough, Kakarrot. And even then, he hadn't meant to say it. The words had just started flowing out in the heat of the moment.

Bulma turned away from him. "Well... that explains a lot," she mumbled, covering her face with her hands. But it was too late. Vegeta had already smelled the tell-tale saltiness of tears. Bulma was crying.

He had never made her cry before. Even at the height of his anger, when he had lashed out at her and rejected her every suggestion, insulted her, she'd only gotten mad back at him. Not this.

Vegeta realized two things at once. One: this was the way to break an Earthling. Sure, killing those dear to them worked fine, but this... gaining their utmost trust and then betraying them... it was a new level of cruelty. And two: he didn't want Bulma to be broken. This was an unexpected side-effect of his brief spell under Bobbidi's "control".

"Vegeta... how could you?" Bulma asked, her voice cracking.

Vegeta closed his eyes, each sign of her pain echoing in his chest in the most peculiar way. "I am sorry."

Bulma, who had been just about to bawl him out, closed her mouth. This was new.

"I know you won't be able to forgive me for this, and I don't expect you to. I made probably the biggest mistake of my life, and it had consequences. I understand that." He bowed his head and waited for her to say something.

_What happened? _Bulma thought. Where was his pride? The look in his eyes, the almost apprehensive tilt to his head... he looked vulnerable. This was not the Vegeta she knew. Somehow, she knew that he'd do whatever she asked of him. It didn't matter that he had a choice. He was willingly giving himself up to her.

And it was this revelation that made Bulma's heart melt. The past didn't matter, it had ultimately brought them closer together.

"Oh, Vegeta," Bulma whispered, pulling him up. "You really mean it?" Meeting her eyes, he nodded and Bulma could see that he was telling the truth. She smiled at him, and watched a happy grin appear on his face.

"I love you," he said, pulling her into his arms. At that moment, the doubt that had haunted him had evaporated more easily than he would have thought possible.

"I love you, too," Bulma said, and then she kissed him. She had never seen him this light and carefree, almost like a child, nor had she heard him speak those words. His happiness was hers, and she couldn't stop smiling.

All of Vegeta's thoughts left, temporarily of course, as he returned the kiss. He could hardly believe his luck. Bulma had forgiven him and, at this perfect moment, the world was theirs and theirs alone.

_**Sorry if it was too sappy for ya. I'm in a sappy mood, okay? :**_

_**This is the first of a few ideas I've been cultivating over the past while, so expect more soon (mwah ha ha...).**_

_**Saiyanara,**_

_**~Lily**_


End file.
